Ex-Ohio State player charged in girlfriend’s murder after body found in Tennessee

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Former NFL linebacker and key member of Ohio State’s 2014 national championship football team, Darron Lee, was charged in his girlfriend’s murder after her body was found in a Tennessee home.

According to WTVC, deputies in Hamilton County went to a residence on February 5 on Snow Cone Way in Ooltewah to a report of CPR in progress. First responders located a female victim and attempted life-saving measures, but she died from her injuries.

Sheriff’s detectives said her death was the result of a homicide. Her boyfriend, Darron Lee, was identified as the suspect and taken into custody at the scene.

WTVC said the date of birth for Lee in the county booking system matches the ESPN profile of a former NFL linebacker of the same name.

Lee, a former OSU linebacker, was the defensive MVP of Ohio State’s unforgettable Sugar Bowl win over Alabama in 2015, paving the way for the Buckeyes most recent football title.

He played high school football at New Albany, and after leaving OSU early to declare for the NFL Draft, Lee was drafted in the first round by the New York Jets. He also played for Kansas City, with whom he won a Super Bowl, as well as Buffalo and Las Vegas.

Lee was arrested for assault and domestic violence in Dublin back in 2023. He pleaded guilty to a lesser offense in 2025, resulting in a 90-day jail sentence, with 88 days suspended. He was placed on probation through February 2027.

He has now been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in Hamilton County.